1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device (LCD), and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device having dielectric frames on one substrate and electric field inducing window on the other substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a LCD has been proposed where the liquid crystal is not aligned, and the liquid crystal is driven by common electrode 17 having open areas 19. FIG. 1 is sectional view of pixel unit of the conventional LCD.
Regarding conventional LCDs, a plurality of gate bus lines arranged in a first direction on a first substrate and a plurality of data bus lines arranged in a second direction on the first substrate divide the first substrate into a plurality of pixel regions.
A thin film transistor (TFT) applies image signal delivered from the data bus line to a pixel electrode 13 on a passivation layer 4. The TFT is formed on each pixel region and comprises a gate electrode, a gate insulator, a semiconductor layer, an ohmic contact layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode, etc.
Alternatively, a side electrode 15 is formed to surround the pixel region on the gate insulator, a passivation layer 4 is formed over the whole first substrate, and pixel electrode 13 is formed to overlap the side electrode 15 and is connected to the drain electrode thereon.
On a second substrate, a light shielding layer is formed to shield any light leakage from gate and data bus lines, and the TFT, a color filter layer is formed on the light shielding layer, an overcoat layer is formed on the color filter layer, a common electrode 17 is formed to have open area 19 on the overcoat layer, and a liquid crystal layer is formed between the first and second substrates.
Pixel electrode 13 and open area (slit) 19 in the common electrode 17 distort the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer. Then, liquid crystal molecules are driven variously in a unit pixel. This means that when voltage is applied to the LCD, dielectric energy due to the distorted electric field arranges the liquid crystal directors in needed or desired positions.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the other liquid crystal display device in the related art. The liquid crystal display device has a smaller pixel electrode 13 than common electrode 17, which induces the distortion of electric field.
In the LCDs, however, open area 19 in common electrode 17 or pixel electrode 13 is necessary, and the liquid crystal molecules could be driven stably when the open area is wider. If the electrodes do not have an open area or the width of the open area is narrow, the electric field distortion needed to divide the pixel region becomes weak. And, disclination occurs from the area where the liquid crystal directors are parallel with a transmittance axis of the polarizer, which results in a decrease in brightness. Further, according to the surface state of LCDs, the liquid crystal texture has an irregular structure.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an LCD that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-domain LCD having wide viewing angle by multi-domain and high brightness by stable arrangement of liquid crystal molecules.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a multi-domain liquid crystal display device comprises first and second substrates facing each other, a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, a plurality of gate bus lines arranged in a first direction on the first substrate and a plurality of data bus lines arranged in a second direction on the first substrate to define a pixel region, a pixel electrode in the pixel region, a dielectric frame controlling alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, a color filter layer on the second substrate, a common electrode on the color filter layer, and an alignment layer on at least one substrate between the first and second substrates.
The common electrode and/or pixel electrode has an electric field inducing window in the inner part thereof.
The dielectric frame is formed surrounding the pixel region or in the pixel region. And, the dielectric constant of the dielectric frame is equal to or lower than dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer. The dielectric frame includes photosensitive materials, such as photoacrylate and BCB (BenzoCycloButene).
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.